1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to grant supported research projects, particularly to clinical research and, more particularly to a computer-implemented system and method for matching research grant sponsors, specific research grants, research assets (including staff and staff capabilities, subjects and equipment), and researchers, and assessing the added value of the project to the researcher and institution.
2. Background of the Invention
Research organizations are in major part driven by a research grant schedule of responding to requests for grant proposals, receiving the grants, doing the research, publishing the research, and responding to subsequent requests for grant proposals. The funding may come from external sources or from internally budgeted funds.
In order to properly respond to requests for grant proposals and to submit grant proposals, it is necessary to keep track of what grants are available, what researchers are available, what their skill sets are, what equipment is available, and what research subjects and objects are available. Moreover, these inputs must be matched to the requests for grant proposals. Heretofore, this collection of inputs and matching of inputs, along with matching the inputs and the possible institutional benefits, has been done in a very haphazard manner, such as white boards, spreadsheets, and PC based database management tools.
It is clear that bringing some degree of order and discipline to this process would provide a research institution with a competitive advantage.